Current Events

July 16 NWLS Board of Trustees Meeting 10:00 (NWLS)

Current News

NWLS Announces New Website

From Jim Trojanowski, NWLS Director - Northern Waters Library Service is releasing a new website and visitors to our old site will be automatically directed to the new at the same address: nwls.wislib.org.

The new site, built on the Joomla open-source content management platform, facilitates security and expandability, and allows all staff to easily edit content.

We’ve given our site a fresh look and updated menus to make it easier for visitors to the site to find what they are looking for. Some new content and features have been added to the content from the previous site.

Please take time to visit the new site and familiarize yourself with it. Feel free to send comments to me.

Learning Labs Project

Grant application guidelines are now available for the “Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums” project to fund the planning and design of up to 30 Learning Labs in libraries that support a community of practice based on current research on how young people learn through new media. The Learning Labs will engage young people nationwide in learning that is interest-based, youth-centered, flexible and collaborative.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation are funding the project, a program in partnership with the Urban Libraries Council (ULC) and the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC). The funding initiative is part of President Obama's “Educate to Innovate” campaign, a nationwide effort to bring American students to the forefront in science and math, to provide the workers of tomorrow with the skills they need today, and to re-envision learning in the 21st century.

This partnership underscores the critical role the nation's libraries and museums play in helping citizens build and develop skills in areas such as information, communications and technology literacy, critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, civic literacy, and global awareness.

Today’s public libraries are vital community technology hubs that millions of Americans rely on for their first and often only choice for Internet access to critical job seeking and e-government resources. Despite increased demand for library computers, however, libraries typically have not seen a corresponding increase in budgets and many are challenged to provide enough computers or fast-enough connection speeds to meet demand. Budget cuts on the state and local level have forced libraries across the country to scale back drastically on operating hours and access to services, just when resources are most needed.

The study provides information useful for advocating for technology resources; for policymakers at local, state, and federal levels; for manufacturers of information and communication technologies, and for the communities served.

Strategies for Preserving Public Libraries

The latest policy brief from the American Library Association (ALA) Office for Information Technology Policy’s (OITP) breaks down the formidable challenges in store for libraries during the next few decades. The brief, “Confronting the Future: Strategic Visions for the 21st Century Public Library” (PDF) responds to the possible outcomes of the current economic, social and technological forces and trends that will affect libraries and require them to evolve rapidly with alternative service strategies that can preserve their fundamental role in the future of serving the American public with necessary information services. Strategies are suggested in the brief to help libraries play an active role in shaping their future based on their specific situations and to assist in making choices that reinforce their contributions to the individuals and communities they serve in the coming decades.

Meeting the High Demand for Technology

Public access computers in U.S. public libraries continue to be in high demand according to Who is in the Queue: Public Access Computer Users (http://www.imls.gov/pdf/Brief2011_04.pdf), a new research brief by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Libraries have responded to demand by increasing financial investments in hardware, subscription databases and computing infrastructure. The report also demonstrates that public libraries are providing much more than basic technology access.

Libraries serve young and old, rich and poor, people with little formal education as well as those with graduate degrees. Young people between the ages of 14-19 were most likely to be using computers for educational purposes, users between the ages 25-54 were focused on employment and training, and older adults focused on health information.

Technology

E-Book Updates

• Owners of e-book readers doubled to 12% in May from 6% last November according to results of a survey project conducted by the Pew Research Center. Tablet computers designed to accomodate e-books as well as more interactive web functions have not seen the same level of growth.

• Many comparison reviews of ebook readers are available on the ebookreader.com blog.

• OverDrive WIN is a series of OverDrive platform enhancements that will be launched to simplify eBook lending and expand collections to create win-win-win for libraries, publishers, and readers. Key priorities for librarians include streamlined procedures for borrowing eBooks on a variety of platforms and devices, strong publisher support for library eBook lending programs, and additional options for digital book collections to meet the swell in demand for eBooks from public libraries.

BadgerLink resources are available to help find the perfect summer read. Registration
for the July webinars at BadgerLunch webinar Series:

• July 14 TeachingBooks: Explore K-12 fiction and nonfiction resources that encourage integration of multimedia author and book materials into reading activities.• July 21 NoveList K-8: Learn about the fiction database designed to appeal to students.• July 28 NoveList: Discover the rich reader' advisory features including title information, read-alikes, book discussion guides, reading lists and more.

23 Things for Professional Development - A self-directed learning program designed to encourage exploration of new technologies within the context of libraries, including blogging, twitter, online networks, organizing yourself, librarianship training options, collaboration, organizing your references, presenting information, advocacy, and more.

July 26 BookListBook Group Buzz - Join a readers' advisory expert for a presentations about trends in book group selections, and a look at recommended upcoming and backlist titles.

Links

Hooray For YA: Teen Novels For Readers Of All Ages - Five "young adult" novels will appeal to readers of all ages are previewed on National Public Radio .

Open Cover Letters - Displayscover letters that led to interviews for library related employement.

American Association of School Librarians Top 25 Websites for Teaching and Learning - The top websites foster qualities of innovation, creativity, active participation, and collaboration in the following categories: Media Sharing, Digital Storytelling, Manage and Organize, Social Networking, Content collaboration, Curriculum sharing and Content Resources